The present invention relates to a technology for synthesizing a generally-called panorama image and a technology for detecting an object from an image using panorama images.
Out of object detection methods using a pan-tilt camera and the like, an effective method is that one large panorama image is synthesized from a plurality of shot images of which shooting directions are different from each other and image processing such as a background subtraction is performed using the thus synthesized panorama image.
As a conventional technique relating to the panorama image synthesis, there is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, a panorama image synthesis method including the steps of: obtaining a motion vector from a camera position, a camera posture, and an input image pair by image analysis; calculating a camera parameter based on the motion vector; and jointing images in accordance with the calculated parameter. This method attains accurate alignment among the images and synthesis of a panorama image with less positional distortion.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Publication No. 2002-105264A